


We're Not Done Yet

by Jeminy3



Category: The LEGO Movie (2014)
Genre: Bisexuality, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Shipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-05 22:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1834867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeminy3/pseuds/Jeminy3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-movie GCBC is ordered to help the master builders and protect Emmet. Things get complicated.<br/>Humanverse. Primarily Bad Cop’s perspective. SFW throughout.</p><p>Read it all as one story here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q812PzMPmT6zH8Co-81evSnAgXnQ1ZDoRt9fO-E-3lQ/edit?usp=sharing</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ok wow, where to begin…. basically, one day i was in the throes of construction cop feels and decided to write out some scenes of a sequential story for my own amusement… a few months later and i had an over 10,000 word, multi-chapter monstrosity on my hands. i’d put so much time and effort into it i thought i may as well polish it to completion and post it, at least the ship tag would appreciate it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmet and friends save the day with help from a unexpected ally. A promise is made. Things are set in motion.

The sound of an explosion ripped across the sky. Then another.

The citizens of Bricksburg and the Duplo aliens they were defending against all looked up in unison at the source of the sounds - the Duplo mothership, so huge it seemed to block out the sky. It gave a great shudder, many of its unearthly lights flickering and going out as two (relatively) small objects could be seen flying out of the craft's central flower-shaped entrance. As they drew closer to the ground, one could see they were flying vehicles, one a souped-up police cruiser and the other a large, retro-style spaceship. Cheering townsfolk started crowding around them as they made landfall, since it could only mean one thing - they had won.

The mothership gave out a roar of twisting metal and shuddered again as it lurched up and away from the city. The Duplo aliens that were still grounded panicked and scattered every which way, some attempting to beam themselves back up using odd devices while the simpler-minded ones searched desperately for a place to hide from the citizens still attacking them. Soon enough, they were all gone from sight. All the while, the mothership continued its ascent, shaking and sputtering and giving off bits of debris, until it stopped and began giving off a strange glow.

 An eerie, child-like voice echoed across the city, as if from the alien equivalent of a megaphone:

_"We'll... be... back..."_

Then, in a blinding flash, the mothership was gone.

" **Sure you will** ," Bad cop growled.

He climbed out of his cruiser, stretching his back and taking in the clear, blue, alien-free skies. He only wished he could enjoy it without the noise of the crowd around him and the obnoxious occupants of the ship next to his.

"Oh yeah! That was AWESOME! We did it, guys!" Emmet cried, jumping out of his seat in Ben's spaceship and practically tackling his friends with hugs.

"We couldn't have done it without ya, babe, said Wyldstyle, planting a small kiss on Emmet's cheek and making him blush.

"Aww, shucks... we wouldn't have gone very far without you either, Lucy," he said bashfully.

"We wouldn't have gone anywhere without me and my spaceship! said Benny, floating a few feet above them.

"Or myyy positive disposition!" chimed in Unikitty, still wiping alien slime off her horn sheepishly.

"Arrrr, ye landlubbers woulda been sunk without my peerless combat skills!" said Metalbeard, his massive robotic body climbing down from its perch on the back of Ben's spaceship to wrap his massive arms around the gang.

"Aww gee, you guys are the best! We're a great team!" said Emmet, laughing. Then he paused, remembering something important. "Oh wait! What about Bad Cop?"

Metalbeard released his grip on them so they could face the interpol leader standing a ways off, checking his vehicle for any sustained damage while occasionally responding to the cheering citizens around him.

"Hey! Bad Cop!" Emmet waved him over. He responded by walking towards them and folding his arms, visibly annoyed. He kept his distance from the gargantuan cybernetic pirate as Emmet started gushing.

"We were just talking about ya, BC! You were great in there too! I mean, you were the one who told us to go in through that vent thingie, and then you saved us from that one monster thingie, and then you shot a laser into that reactor thingie and blew it up, and-" He was suddenly silenced by Wyldstyle's hand over his mouth.

"I think what Emmet's _trying_ to say, officer," she said politely, "is that we really appreciate your help in there. We couldn't have done it without you, Bad Cop."

She paused, thinking over what she'd just said. "Huh. Never thought I'd be saying _that_ anytime soon. Weird."

" **Well, get used to it.** " said Bad Cop gruffly. " **I'm operating on President Business's request to help you master builders in any way that I can. And...** " He turned to face Emmet. " **...to ensure the safety of the Former Special from now on.** "

Wyldstyle withdrew her hand, backing away in surprise. "W... wait. Y-you mean me?" said Emmet, taken aback.

" **Yes you, Brickowski** ," BC growled. " **You can consider it an... apology of sorts, for my past actions against you.** " He stared off in the distance for a few moments, avoiding eye contact at the mention of past events.

" **BUT-** " He turned back suddenly, staring Emmet down with the fiercest stare he could muster. " **It is NO MORE personal than that. I don't owe you anything else, Brickowski.** "

He leaned into him, watching him squirm under his steel gaze. " ** _Do I make myself clear?_** "

"Uh... y-yes, yes sir," Emmet managed to blurt out. His friends quivered in fear behind him.

Bad Cop leaned back, satisfied with their reactions. " **Good. I'll be taking my leave.** " He turned and walked back to his cruiser.

(Uhh, did you really have to be that harsh with him, B?) The voice of his other half, Good Cop, echoed in his head as he climbed into the pilot's seat. (I mean, they were just trying to be nice to us...) ( **I only wanted to make myself absolutely clear. And you know I'm not much for "niceness."** ) Even BC's inner voice grumbled with impatience. It'd been a long day, to say the least. (I'm just saying...)

A voice calling out interrupted their internal exchange. "H-hey! Wait!" He glanced over to see that Emmet had run up near the cruiser.

"Ah- thanks... thank you, Bad Cop. For everything," Emmet said, smiling, full of warmth and sincerity. BC stared blankly at him for a few moments before looking away to press a few buttons on his control panel, causing the cruiser's engine to roar back to life.

" **Hmph.** "  It was the most he could say. He was never used to receiving praise - and certainly not from Emmet, of all people. Nonetheless, he could already feel a wave of heat starting to creep into his face. Through the corners of his eyes, he watched as the cruiser's gullwing doors lowered a window between him and the still-smiling construction worker.

It was... unnerving, the weight of that smile, that face, staring at him... He tried not to think about it too much as he lifted off and guided the cruiser back to Octan headquarters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad Cop muses over his recent ventures with Emmet and the master builders, then gets a new assignment. Sounds promising.

Bad Cop stood alone in Business' Office, tense and alert.

He didn't need to be - there weren't any relics, hidden panels or deadly machinery in it anymore. Nowadays it was just another ordinary office room with an unusually high ceiling and a large, diamond shaped window in the wall behind the desk. But he had a... personal connection with the place, one could say. And not a pleasant one. No matter how much time passed, he had a feeling he and Good Cop would never stop being anxious whenever they were in here.

He checked his watch. Already 10:29 and no sign of his boss. President Business was getting a bit lax with his scheduling lately, but not grossly so - he'd be here any minute. At least he was more relaxed now.

Until then, he decided, he'd keep his mind busy by thinking about his recent ventures with Emmet and the others. Besides his usual policing duties, BC and his team would also respond to calls from the master builders, aiding them against guerilla Duplo invaders, unusually dangerous criminals, wild rampaging creatures, out-of-control living constructs, and so on.

Because of Business' request, Emmet was always the priority when it came to who to keep safe from harm. Which was quite the task by itself, since Emmet was the kind who, whether from peer pressure or his own overconfidence, would charge into a situation headfirst without much thought, suffering the appropriate consequences.

Despite all the trouble, BC found himself looking forward to these adventures. Sometimes he was almost anxious to hear his communicator burst into static and the words 'emergency' or 'assistance needed' to scrape through. Soon he found himself being the first to answer these calls, the first to arrive on the scene, the first to ask " **Where is he?** " and pointed toward a terrified Emmet crouched behind some kind of cover, fleeing from a rampaging monster, or caught in the claws of one. Then he was the first to rescue him. Unless, of course, the situation was already under control and Emmet had decided to show a bit more forethought. But at least then, BC could watch him pummel something with some ridiculous contraption he'd created from his surroundings. That was always amusing.

Emmet had certainly changed since becoming a master builder, reforming President Business and saving the known universe. His building powers and heroic status stemming from his newfound self-confidence made him a force to be reckoned with. Usually.

He was still prone to moments of self-doubt and asking for instructions on what to do, but that was understandable. He was still the clumsy, awkward, sensitive, but nonetheless earnest construction worker he'd always been. And even with his reputation, he still remained humble and concerned with the well-being of his friends, loved ones, and fellow man above all. He forgave easily, and never seemed to hold a grudge for very long - he was always kind and friendly towards the Cops whenever they spoke, even with their past history. BC wouldn't admit it, but he sort of admired the man.

Although one thing still bothered him - what _did_ happen to Emmet after falling into the Infinite Abyss of Nothingness? He'd always wanted to ask him about what exactly happened to him in there, but something told him he was better off not knowing...

The boom of slamming doors and a voice filled with mirth startled him out of his train of thought. He whipped around to see the large office doors swinging open, revealing President Business walking in while chatting with a few employees - and not all of them were robots, for once.

He bade them goodbye as he walked in, closing the double doors behind them as they left. He let out a breath, exasperated, and checked his watch. "Hm. Two minutes late. Can't be helped, I guess. Least I spent it gettin' to know some folks, y'know?"

He'd turned to Bad Cop, smiling. "Heyyy Bad Cop! How you doin'?" He said heartily, walking towards him with arms outstretched. Bad Cop responded with a stiff salute. " **I'm fine, sir.** "

"Great! I've got a new assignment for you. Those master builder folks are asking anyone and everyone to help rebuild Cloud Cuckooland!  Y'know, that bright and happy place you and your men blew to smithereens, robbing hundreds of people of their homes?" Bad Cop lowered his gaze. " **...Yes.** "

"I'm _kidding_ , hahaha! Don't be so hard on yourself, big guy!" He gave BC a hearty slap on the shoulder, making him flinch. "Bygones be bygones and all that. Besides, they said it'll be a cinch to rebuild it if everyone chips in. That's why I'm sending _you_ there to help out!" 

" **Er... me, sir?** " " _Sure_! It's not like it's hard or something, it's just sticking a bunch of... things together to make... more things. Besides, one of them was asking for you. Emmet, I think."

Something jumped inside him at the sound of that statement. " **He was?** "

"Yeah! He admires you, y'know. Makes sense, him being such a big fan of cop shows and stuff. Kinda funny, huh? Emmet, the big hero, treating you, the guy who used to chase him all over trying to blast him to pieces, like a... a buddy or something, haha. Nice guy." " **I... guess so.** "

His mind wandered. Why would Emmet be _asking_ for his help? Because of all his recent assistance with the master builders? He told them he'd help them out anyway, he was under orders... In fact he would have helped with this rebuilding project regardless if Emmet had asked for him or not...

"So you'll go, right?" " **What?** "

"Y'know, go help with that rebuilding thing?" " **Oh. Yes, of course, sir.** "

"Great!" He clasped BC's shoulders, giving him a good shake, then began leading him out of the room by the arm.

"You'll be just fine, I'm sure. Buncha nice folks there. They'll take good care of ya. Probably have snacks and everything. Oh and uh, can do me one little favor while you're over there?"

They stopped just in front of the doors. Business turned him so he could look directly into his face. His cheery expression faltered. "Could you uh... put in a good word for me while you're there? I mean sure, I'd love to go there myself and help out but oh, you know how busy I get, haha. I'd just like to make some ah, good impressions over there. Especially after what happened, y'know."

The laughter seemed forced, along with his smile. BC could tell his was much more important than he let on. " **Yes, of course I will, sir,** " he said, trying his best to sound at least somewhat reassuring. Business responded with a broader smile, this time more sincere.

"Excellent! Good man! I can always count on you. Now good luck, have fun!" He turned BC back toward the door and gently shoved him out of the room, closing the doors behind him.

He stood there for a few moments, briefly wondering what in the world he'd gotten himself into, before making his way to the vehicle bay.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GCBC arrives to help rebuild Cloud Cuckooland. Shenanigans ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (One of the few parts I'm kinda proud of. Nice and long with actual things happening.)

Within a few hours, he was in within sight of it - a huge platform of cloud and other material hovering just over the edge of the ocean that surrounded most of Middle Zealand. The master builders said they'd planned to rebuild most of Cloud Cuckooland here, closer to the ground, before using cloud stabilizers to float it higher into the sky.

Bad Cop landed his cruiser on an outcropping and climbed out, his feet bouncing a little on the solid cloud beneath him. Strange. If he could compare it to anything, he'd say it felt like walking on sponges - soft and springy. After adjusting his gait for the odd terrain, he began walking toward the center of the platform, where he could see the silhouettes of structures in progress (he guessed that's what they were, they didn't really have much structure) and the master builders working on them.

As he came closer into view, a sudden realization made his blood run cold and stopped him in his tracks. Even from a distance he could see that many of the master builders gathered here were ones he'd arrested, interrogated, and even imprisoned. And here he was, showing up in full uniform, unarmed and alone. His stomach clenched. This was a bad idea.

(C'mon, B. They won't hurt us. They have no reason to!) Good Cop's cheery inner voice chimed in. ( **Yes, they do.** )

(The past's in the past, BC. They're our friends now!) ( **No, they're not.** ) 

(Oh please, B. Emmet and the others are there! We'll be fine, just relax!) ( **But...** )

GC sighed. (Ugh, fine, if you're that nervous, I'll take over. I was always the better negotiator anyway.) Meeting only mild resistance from Bad Cop, Good Cop pushed his psyche aside and took control of their body. He flipped up the dark aviator lenses on his glasses, revealing his eyes, to show for it.

GC continued walking closer to the gathering of master builders while BC rippled with tension in a corner of his mind. He did his best to keep him at ease as he approached the half-finished archway that would be the new entrance. He walked through, breathing out the butterflies in his stomach and putting on the friendliest smile he could muster. He entered the area and approached the crowd of master builders.

"Hey! Hi, every buddy! I'm here to help!"

Several dozen faces, human and otherwise, turned to face him. Some of them smiled and responded with hearty hellos, others waved at him half-heartedly with looks of mild confusion, while a few only narrowed their eyes at him before turning back to whatever they were doing. He explained his orders from President Business and made small talk with the friendlier folk, but there was still a heavy air of apprehension. 

( **This is still a bad idea.** ) (Shush!)

Suddenly, a voice full of sunshine of rainbows rang out from nearby. "Ohmigosh, you made it! You're here! I'm so glad!"

It was Princess Unikitty, of course. The graceful horse-cat bounded into view from behind a pile of clouds, as light on her feet as a feather, landing in front of GC in only a few strides. Emmet and Wyldstyle followed from behind, struggling to catch up.

"Hiii, Good Cop! It's great to see you!" Unikitty practically beamed at him. "Welcome to Cloud Cuckooland! Or should I say, _New_ Cuckooland, hehe! I just thought of it, has a nice ring, dont'cha think?" 

"Yeah, it does!" GC replied. ( **No, that sounds even more stupid.** ) (SHUSH!)

Within a few moments, Emmet and Wyldstyle had caught up to them, greeting GC warmly. "Heya Good Cop, glad you made it! We were just planning out which parts we should start rebuilding first." said Emmet.

"It's just ah, kinda difficult since this place never really had much of a plan to begin with," said Wyldstyle, glancing nervously in Unikitty's direction.

"Oh, well, that's alright! That means we can just start anywhere, right?" asked GC. ( **No, it means this place is a mess.** ) (Would you _stop?_ )

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." said Emmet. "Actually, I was talking about a good place to start just now." Emmet motioned towards a small hill of cloud several dozen feet away from them, and soon the group, along with some of the other master builders, were making their way towards it.

Over the next half hour, the master builders had built up the small hill of cloud into a much larger one, carving a staircase into its front and adding to it with all manner of whimsical structures. Then they flattened out the top and began setting down the foundation for a large, round structure.

"Say, Emmet," said Unikitty, stopping to look over their handiwork so far, "What exactly are we making, anyway?"

She turned to look at Emmet, who had just dumped an armful of colorful bricks and materials into a pile he was gathering. He responded by looking at her with a knowing smile and a hand on his hip. "I thought you'd never ask. Watch _this_."

Then he was a blaze of color, zipping back and forth between the pile of bricks and the frontmost part of the foundation. The others stood back in awe as archways began to take shape, with a wall forming above them. He arranged the various colors in such a way that a distinct pattern began to come through - it was a face, animal in nature, with a white muzzle, pink nose, huge eyes, and a lolling tongue.

Unikitty recognized it immediately, tears forming in her large eyes. "Oh, it's... the dog..."

Wyldstyle put an arm around her as the other master builders applauded Emmet's prowess. The massive dog-shaped building was always iconic of Cuckooland, and Emmet's recollection of it was almost spot-on.

After constructing most of the face, Emmet stopped to rest, out of breath. "Phew, this is... gonna take a little longer than I thought... And I'm already running out of bricks..."

He noticed Unikitty down below, and climbed down to comfort her. She embraced him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck, burying her muzzle into his shoulder. "Thank you, Emmet..." she said, her voice wavering. He hugged her tightly. "You're welcome, Unikitty. I knew it was important for you."

The sounds of cheering and applause carried down to the base of the cloud hill, where stood Good Cop, standing alone and watching everything unfold just within earshot. He couldn't help smiling. (Awww... he's such a nice guy...) He thought, touched by the whole scene.

( **Hmph. Show off. Anyone can build a stupid dog face.** ) (Well, no not really...) ( **Yeah? I bet _we_ could've done that!** ) (Really now.)

He looked down to their own contribution to New Cuckooland - some meager bits and bobs stuck together into a shapeless lump on the ground in front of them.

(We're not really the building kind, BC.) ( **Oh yes we are, we're just not done yet!** ) (We've been at this for half an hour.) ( **Because YOU keep changing your mind on what to make! Here, I'll take over!** )

He wrestled control of their body and flipped down the shades on their glasses. GC tried to interject that it was actually BC who was indecisive on what to make and had been barking confusing orders at him the whole time, but he was beyond listening now. BC was furiously cramming things together and into the lump without much rhyme or reason, desperately trying to make _something_.

Soon enough a shape of some sort began to form, fueling his drive to keep going. Then within a few moments, he had constructed... a taller lump. With a few other, smaller lumps jutting out of it. He stood back and attempted to admire it.

(...Well... it sure is something.) BC said nothing, fists clenched at his sides. (Uh...but hey, it's _our_ something! We still made it! So I'd say we did a good job, buddy!)

BC still said nothing. He was furious. Everyone said it was so _easy_. If anyone could do it, why couldn't _he_ stick a bunch of stupid bricks together and make something? If that bumbling Emmet could become a master builder, why couldn't he was well? It wasn't fair. He bit his lip, quivering with rage.

(Um...B, are you okay?)

" **AARRRGGHHH!** " BC roared, and with one well aimed kick the stupid lump was in pieces all over the ground. But he didn't stop there. He kicked and punched and stomped at everything within reach, knocking down piles of bricks and materials and hurling insults at no one in particular.

(Oh boy...) GC'd seen this happen before. And there wasn't much he could do to calm him besides waiting and hoping it subsided quickly. It usually did.

When he ran out of piles to knock over, BC resorted to kicking and tearing at the clouds beneath him in such a flurry that soon he'd formed a small pit around him and was covered head to toe in cloud fluff. Finally, he stopped to catch his breath.

(Wow BC, we must look like a two-legged sheep now, haha!) He ignored him, breathing heavily with his hands on his knees. (...You feel better now?) ( **Yeah. Sorry.** ) (That's okay, buddy.)

" _Heyyy! Bad Cop!_ " A voice called out from above and far away. " _Is everything all right down there?_ " BC looked up to see Emmet's tiny head and shoulders looking down on him from the top of the hill, the heads of other master builders flanking him on either side. " **I'm fine!** " he called back.

" _Are you suuure? We heard yelling and stuff!_ " That was Unikitty.

" _Are you covered in **clouds**?_ " And that was Wyldstyle.

" **I said I'm fine! Look-** " BC attempted to take a step forward to leave the cloud pit he'd created, but found he could no longer move his right foot. He looked down to see that it was completely submerged in the cloud beneath him. He pulled again, to no avail. " **Shoot.** "

He tried his left foot, and found he couldn't move that either. " **Double shoot.** " He squirmed and strained, trying every which way to free himself. To his horror, he only seemed to be sinking deeper into the cloud.

" _Heyyy_!" Emmet again. " _Are you stuck or something?_ " " **I'M FINE! JUST GIMME A-** "

Suddenly he felt his feet break through the last layer of cloud and the entire lower half of his body fell through, stopped only by his arms clawing at the ground as his upper half slammed into it. His legs kicked wildly in the open air beneath him, and his heart froze at the realization that not far below him was the dark, cold ocean. He was never a strong swimmer. He hated water.

" **AAAGHHH! HELP! HELP ME!** " he cried, desperately grasping at the soft cloud in front of him but feeling himself slip further downward. He could vaguely hear cries and gasps of terror from above, and the clatter of shoes running down stairs.

(Hold on, buddy!) GC attempted to shout internal encouragement, but his words were lost in the chaos of BC's terrified mind. He was panicking. All he could think of right now was grabbing at something, anything, he could pull himself up with, but there was only soft, smooth cloud. He slipped further. Soon only his head and arms were still above ground. " **HEEEELP!** " he cried out, over and over, until the hole began squeezing the breath out of him. Then he could only stare at the sky above him in terror. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the cruel, icy water. He slipped again, and then...

No water. Two strong arms grasped his own, pulling him up and into them. He felt a body, warm and strong, and clung to it like a child. He heard breathing, another heart beating near his own. His eyes were still closed, but he didn't dare open them until he was certain, certain he was...

"Bad Cop? Hey, Bad Cop, it's okay, you're safe now..." There was a gentle voice. It came from the warm body he held onto. It sounded so familiar... He opened his eyes.

He was on the ground, surrounded by master builders, many with looks of worry on their faces. He had his arms and legs wrapped tightly around someone, and his head was pressed tightly into their shoulder. He craned his neck back to see... Emmet, his smiling face only a few inches away from his own.

BC stared at him for a few moments before he became aware of gravity of the situation and the many rules of personal space he was breaking. He kicked and shoved himself away from Emmet as quickly as possible, blushing deeply.

"Ow! Hey! I kinda saved your butt there, man!" Emmet rubbed at where he'd been kicked in the face as Bad Cop scrambled to his feet.

" **A-and I'm very thankful. Now, ah, if you'll excuse me, I-I'll be leaving now,** " he sputtered, obviously flustered. Master builders shuffled out of his way as he walked briskly in the direction of where he'd parked his cruiser.

"Bad Cop, wait!" he heard Unikitty calling from behind. "You don't have to _leave_!"

"Let him go. I guess he's had enough excitement for one day..." Wyldstyle's response faded into the distance as he approached the entranceway and passed through it.

(Hey! Unikitty was right! We don't have to _leave_...) ( **It was a mistake to come here in the first place. We were better off at headquarters.** )

(You just got a little shaken up, is all! Happens to everybody at some point...) ( **Sure, everyone's made to look like a complete fool in front of their former enemies.** )

(They're our _friends_ , B!) ( **Oh just _shut up_. I don't want to talk about this anymore.** )

He'd reached the cruiser and shoved himself into the pilot's seat, slamming the doors over him. He sat back, rubbing at his face with his hands and taking deep breaths to calm himself. His heart was still pounding.

He couldn't believe that'd just happened. On top of losing his temper and nearly dropping himself into the ocean, he had to be rescued by _Emmet_ , of all people. _Ugggh_. He could still feel the warmth of his body radiating from where they'd touched.

He tried not to dwell on it as he turned on the engines and lifted off back to Bricksburg. Maybe he could kill an hour or two at the bar before returning to headquarters and giving his report.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad Cop has a weird dream, but shakes it off and heads to work. Not much happens there though, so he tries to amuse himself.

He was dreaming. He knew he must be, because he'd been here many times before. Sand. Water. That beach again.

Shells. So many pretty shells. Glittering like jewels - he had to get them all, dig them out with his small, pudgy fingers. Stuff them into his already bulging shorts pockets, ignorant of the danger he knew would come soon. Or maybe he knew of it, but his dream self, his past self, was always blissfully unaware, insisting on repeating the same old mistake. Seeing that shiny thing further off in the water, wading towards it, reaching down, unheeding of the tide pulling away around him.

Then it happened. All at once that cold, cruel wave struck him down, pulling him under, dragging him out into the water. Water in his eyes. Water in his ears. Water in his lungs. Couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't hear anything except the water. Water everywhere. Water killing him...

Then something grabbed him. Two arms. Strong arms. Pulling him out of the water and into their warmth. Breathing. Heartbeat. A body. Someone was squeezing him into it, letting him curl up against it, coughing and wheezing, filling him with words of comfort. He was okay. He was safe. No more water. He could look up and recognize the face of the one who'd saved him as....

... _Emmet???_

Bad Cop's eyes fluttered open, staring widely in surprise. His surroundings swam and distorted, looking completely alien to him. His heart was pounding, and an odd, heavy feeling filled his chest. Where was he? But wait, Emmet... the beach...

He lay there for a few moments as his brain flicked a few mental switches and fully woke itself from its sleep mode. He was in his own bed, in his own bedroom, in his own home. It was dark, save for the faint golden rays of the early sunrise peeking in through his curtains. A familiar voice drowsily rose up from the depths of his mind. (Mm... G'mornin', buddy. Awake already?)

BC rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up to check his clock on the nightstand. 6:34 AM. About thirty minutes before the alarm would go off and he would normally wake up and start getting ready for work. He groaned, letting his head fall back on the pillow, tempted to let himself close his eyes and catch a few more precious minutes of sleep. But he decided against it, because he was already mostly awake and it would take more time than it was worth to fall asleep again, and he would probably wake up feeling more tired anyway. He sighed deeply, pushing away an inexplicable sadness rising in him.

(You okay, B? Did you have that dream again?) ( **...Yeah.** ) (You wanna talk about it?) ( **No.** ) (Okay...)

He never wanted to. It was only a dream, after all. The result of his sleeping brain firing off random neurons, pulling from various memory banks, exercising itself. It was only his subconscious. It never meant anything. He only had that one dream of the beach so many times because it happened when he was so young and left such a deep impression. But it was different now... Usually it was his father who rescued him, but now it was Emmet sometimes... why?

No, wait, he knew why. And he didn't feel like remembering that right now. He hoisted himself into a sitting position, shaking off the remnants of sleep creeping into his eyelids.

(You sure about getting up now, B? It's still early...) ( **It's fine. I can kill a few minutes watching TV or something.** ) He slid off the bed and stood up, ready to proceed with their usual morning routine.

\---

Tap. Tap. Tap. He tapped his fingers on the surface of his desk, in time with the clock. Tick. Tick Tick. The seconds felt like hours. Tick. Tap. Tick. Tap. It all sounded the same. He was bored. So, so bored.

The office was quiet save for the clacking of computer keys, hushed robotic voices, and the clock, of course. Bad Cop could only sit there, staring at the phone. Just _one_ , he thought. Someone, anyone, find just _one reason_ to send out a call and get him out of this darn office. Something. _Anything_. He'd help wash someone's dirty laundry or something. He'd even take a call from _Emmet_ , of all people.

That wasn't a bad idea, actually. A call from Emmet or the others meant another troublemaker to detain or another monster to put down. But those calls were becoming less and less frequent now. Anyone could be a master builder, and that meant anyone had the potential to defend themselves and help keep the peace in their respective realm. Even his regular police work was becoming less eventful, and now entire days on patrol would pass by with nothing noteworthy happening besides the occasional speeding ticket or drunk driver. All that plus President Business cutting down on his work hours and giving him more days off (despite his complaints) and BC often found himself as he was now, bored out of his mind.

They never did have another encounter like the one in New Cuckooland - where BC was the one in danger and Emmet came to the rescue. He liked it that way - At least, that's what he always told himself. He refused to dwell on the memory. It always brought up odd feelings he couldn't really describe, and for that reason alone he didn't like it. The same went for Emmet's recent appearances in his dreams, which raised a whole other group of questions he didn't care to find the answers to. But... it did sort of explain why he even enjoyed helping Emmet and the master builders. Somehow... somehow, in some weird, stupid, inexplicable way, Emmet made him feel... safe. If he was there, everything would be okay, sooner or later. It always was. He was a hero, after all.

Suddenly those odd feelings started bubbling up again. He had to distract himself with something. He looked around the office, but nothing had changed. Robots working, guards pacing, clock still ticking away. He turned back and stared at the phone for the longest minute he'd ever experienced, but it was still silent. He sighed. Ugh. This was awful. He 'd start going crazy if this went on much longer. He sat back in his chair, closing his eyes. Maybe he could amuse himself with his imagination...

He imagined the phone ringing and him picking it up and hearing Emmet's panicked voice begging him to help him with his dirty laundry because his clothes were so filthy that the filth had conglomerated itself into a giant filth-monster that was destroying the city, and the only way to destroy it was to gather as much soap as possible and clean it to death. Hah. That was ridiculous. Everyone robbing the cities' stores of their soap, dumping it in huge piles. Throwing the soap. Launching it with slingshots. Loading the blasters in his cruiser with soap so it shot bubbles instead of lasers. Soap-guns.

He snickered a bit, despite himself, but kept going. With all that soap, the filth-monster wouldn't stand a chance. It'd be nothing but a puddle of mud, and everyone would cheer. Emmet would thank him for all his help, praise him for the soap gun idea, call him the best interpol leader he ever knew. The only interpol leader he ever knew, but he knew what he meant. He'd laugh awkwardly and scratch at his neck like he always did. Maybe blush a little and admit that maybe he should do his laundry more than once every twenty years. BC would agree, but tell him that at least now he knew better, say something cheesy like 'a little cleanliness goes a long way!' Clap a hand on Emmet's shoulder for reassurance. Watch him tense up a little at his touch, then look up into his face and smile in that weird, smiley way he does. He'd look right into his eyes. Those deep, sparkling eyes... Weird... Never seen 'em like that. Better take a closer look...

(Uh, B?)

Lean into him a little bit...

(Hello? Bad Cop, are you there?)

...What?

He snapped back into reality, where a robotic assistant had been attempting to get his attention for the past few seconds. "Sir? Are you fully functional?" " **Wh- Yes. Of course. What is it?** "

"I came to tell you on behalf of President Business that you may stop working for the rest of the day and go home if you wish, due to lack of activity and the fact that it is 'Freedom Friday' (but still on a Tuesday)'." " **...What?** " "Are you requesting that I repeat that?" " **No, I- I mean no, thank you. Thanks for lettin' me know.** "

"You are welcome. Have a pleasant day, sir." As he watched the robot shuffle out of his office, he silently berated himself for getting so off track that he hadn't even noticed them come in. That wasn't like him. The ending of that train of thought wasn't like him either. His pulse had picked up, and he felt unusually warm for some reason. Weird. Maybe he was getting sick from being so bored all the time... Going home wasn't a bad idea.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good Cop and Bad Cop start helping Emmet in more personal ways. Good Cop likes it, Bad Cop doesn't. Things are getting complicated.

"Thanks for the help, Good Cop, I really appreciate it!"

Emmet heaved the last bag of recyclables into the bin and gave a sigh a relief. "No problem, Emmet!" replied GC. "Anything else you need help with?"

"Not really. I'm all done now," said Emmet, gesturing to the lack of garbage bags next to him. "Great! Let's head back then!" said GC cheerfully, the two of them chattering here and there as they made their way out of the recycling center.

( **I still don't know why you insist on doing this...** ) BC grumbled from a corner of GC's mind as they walked. (You said we'd help him out, so that's what I'm doing!) ( **We're supposed to help him in _life-threatening_ situations. Throwing out garbage is hardly life-threatening.** ) (Well, it _could_ be!) ( **Oh, shut up.** )

They kept on with their small talk as BC continued steaming inside GC's brain. This was ridiculous. Ever since his imaginary escapade back in the office a few days ago, GC'd had the "bright idea" of offering their services to Emmet for boring, menial tasks like helping with laundry or carrying garbage bags. While it was true they didn't really have much else to do these days, it was still completely demeaning for a chief of police to be reduced to a simple errand boy. And for _Emmet_ , of all people. After everything else that'd happened, just the thought of doing such lowly services for him sent his blood boiling.

BC was so cross with Emmet that it didn't take long for them to agree to let GC take over in their dealings with him. He didn't mind. He was almost eager to talk about boring things like how his day at work went, where he liked to eat, how his friends were doing, his plans for the week... it was monotonous. But... oddly familiar...

( **You're _enjoying_ this, aren't you?** ) BC quipped in suddenly. (What?)  ( **All this... dumb stuff with Emmet. Why do you like it so much?** ) (Wh... what kind of question is that? I don't need a reason, I-I just like it...) ( **Really now... You sure about that?** ) (Er...)

"Uh, hello, Good Cop?" He snapped away from his internal conversation to notice Emmet was trying to get his attention. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay? You looked kinda... spaced out there." Emmet looked mildly concerned.

"Oh, sorry! I was talking to Bad Cop!" 

"Oh. Like, on the inside, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh. Yeah, right." Emmet looked away for a moment, looking oddly thoughtful.

"Emmet? What's wrong?" GC flustered a bit, worried he'd put him off somehow.

"Oh, nothing, I was just thinking... It's weird actually, I get that you guys are like, two different people but..."

"But what?"

Emmet shrugged. "I dunno, it's almost like you're also two halves of the same person. Sort of."

Good Cop stopped in his tracks, blinking, caught off guard. "...Oh..."

BC flinched on the inside. That was true, but the only other people who'd really noticed that about them were _their own parents_. The fact that Emmet, of all people, had also made that observation was... surprising, to say the least.

GC was staring at the ground, flushing a bit. Emmet had stopped to walk back to him, starting to panic.

"Oh, are you okay? I'm sorry if that sounded dumb, I mean, I didn't-" He put a hand on his arm to comfort him. GC jumped a little at the touch, but looked up at Emmet with a warm smile. "Oh no it's fine, um, it's just... it's true, actually. We are like two halves. Not many people notice that about us though."

"Oh..." Emmet still looked unsure.

GC smiled and grasped Emmet's shoulder in return, beaming. "I appreciate it, though! That's really observant of you, buddy. Thanks for telling me!" Emmet smiled back at him, relieved.

They stared at each other for a few moments, mutually touching, awkward but unsure when to break the contact.

Finally, Good Cop withdrew his hand and turned away, walking back down the parking lot, his ears feeling a little warmer.

He cleared his throat a bit. "So uh... how'd that date with Lucy go?" Emmet blinked dumbly at him for a moment. "Huh?" "You know, the one you were telling me about yesterday?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah, it was great! They always are." He started walking with him again, beaming. "We're really hitting it off, I think. We just kinda _get_ each other, you know?" GC nodded at him, smiling. "I do. That sounds really great, Emmet. I'm happy for you."

They'd reached Emmet's parked car by this point. GC stood stiffly by the door, hands behind his back, almost looking like a chaffeur. Emmet fumbled for his car keys, beeping the car locks open. Not missing a beat, GC opened the driver's side door for him. Emmet gave a look of embarrassment for a moment, scratching at his neck.

"Well uh, thanks again, guys. Same time tomorrow?" "Sure!" GC replied. "Cool, see ya then!" Emmet waved him goodbye as he climbed into the modest little car. GC returned the wave with gusto and watched him drive off before walking toward where they'd parked their cruiser.

( **You seem disappointed.** ) BC's inner voice quipped in again suddenly, catching him off guard.

(Wh- n-no I'm not!) ( **You were feeling it. When you asked him about Linda and heard his response.** ) (Her name is _Lucy_.) ( **Whatever. Why were you asking about her?** ) (I was just... curious...) ( **Really. Curious about his love life?** )

He'd reached the cruiser and had a hand on the door handle. He paused. (Um....) ( **I'm waiting.** ) His grip tightened. (W... well....) He couldn't find the words. Even worse, he had a feeling he knew what BC was getting at.

(I just... I just wanted to know, alright? Leave me alone.) ( **We live in the same body, G. I can't really do that.** ) GC only grumbled, pushing himself away from BC's mental presence as he plopped himself into the pilot's seat and practically slammed the power buttons. It was a rare thing to see GC so frustrated, even to the point of actively trying to cut himself off from his other half. It was obviously something important, but BC didn't want to push him further. He'd ask again later.

But he had a feeling he knew what it was, and he didn't like it at all.

\---

"Oh man, this thing's huge! And it's not even that heavy!"

" **State of the art materials. Strong, heat-conductive, but still lightweight.** "

"Wow..." Emmet gawked at the laser blaster in his hands, cradling it in his lap. He looked up at Bad Cop, grinning wickedly. "How many settings does it have? Like, stun and kill?" Bad Cop couldn't help giving him an attempt at a smile himself. Emmet's enthusiasm was always infectious.  " **Yes, actually.** " Looks like Emmet was more observant than he gave him credit for.

Emmet looked back to the gun, whistling. "Phew... man, if only the cops on TV had guns like this..." He thought over the statement. "Well, actually, if they did the criminals wouldn't last very long, haha." He starting laughing at the thought. BC couldn't help giving a small snicker as well. " **It'd also be against protocol. I'm the only one allowed to use this.** " Emmet shook his head, still laughing. "I know, I know. Still funny, though."

The two had been sitting down for a breather after another day of chores. It was becoming a little more tolerable now. Emmet would often talk about his favorite cop shows and movies and ask Good Cop/Bad Cop about their authenticity compared to the real thing, which was generally hit or miss. Even Bad Cop joined in on these conversations sometimes, since he had the most first-hand experience with this sort of thing. It was... kinda nice, actually, talking about the job he enjoyed with someone who appreciated it - at least on a basic level.

There was an awkward silence as Emmet's laughter died down. Suddenly neither of them could think of anything else to say. BC shifted uncomfortably in his seat on the bench, an odd tightness growing in his chest.

When he finally thought of something to say he'd scarcely opened his mouth before he felt the overeager presence of Good Cop suddenly push him aside and start speaking instead. "So! Any plans for tonight, buddy?"

At this point Emmet was so used to these sudden switches he hardly batted an eye. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Meh. Not really. Just sit around and watch TV I guess. Why, uh..." He tilted his head to look up at GC sheepishly. "Did you... have something in mind?"

GC caught his eyes and looked away quickly, pretending to fumble with his folding glasses. "Oh, er.... n-no, not really. I was just... wondering..."

"Oh. Okay." The tinge of disappointment in Emmet's voice was noticable.

( **Are you kidding me.** ) (Huh?) ( **You just take over like that and don't even say anything? What's _wrong_ with you lately?** ) (H-hey now, I just... I forgot what I was going to say, alright?) ( **Hmph.** )

BC retreated, seething quietly. It was obvious now. And it was something he was all too familiar with. He waited until Emmet and GC exchanged some more awkward small talk and said their goodbyes, then confronted GC again.

( **Don't you dare start that.** ) (Start what?) ( **You know what I'm talking about. You're getting all mushy about him, aren't you?** )

GC reeled in embarrassment, his cheeks growing warmer. (I...uh...w-well...) ( **Well, stop it. You know how our dating life went back in the day.** ) (B, that was _years_ ago...) ( **And besides, he's already seeing that girl. Lori or whatever her name is.** ) (It's Lucy...) ( **Look, whatever, ok? I'm just saying this is a bad idea and we should back off before things get serious.** ) (But...) ( **I'm just trying to look out for you, G.** )

GC suddenly became quiet. He looked at the ground, sounding strangely solemn. (...You always said that back then, too.) ( **What?** ) (When we were younger... It was always about "protecting me" and "looking out for me"... It's no wonder we're still alone after all these years...)

BC remembered. The old guilt pressed down on him like boulders. ( **H-hey now... Look, I, I didn't mean it like that... I-I'm sorry-** )

GC shook his head, shaking off the somber feeling. (It's fine, buddy. You're right. They _are_ getting serious. Just the other day he said they were planning to move in together soon, didn't he?) ( **Well... yes, but...** )

GC perked himself up, like he always did, comforting BC into silence. (I'll be fine, you know how I get. Just a little infatuation, is all. It'll pass.) ( **Er... yeah. Sure. W- you'll be okay.** ) BC offered him what little reassurance he could, but he was still tense about the whole thing.

Hopefully he was right, and it _was_ just a phase...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More hanging out with Emmet ensues. Bad Cop hates it. Or does he...?

He hated him. His messy hair, his stupid smile, his annoying voice. Bad Cop hated Emmet Brickowski with every fiber of his being.

He growled at nothing in particular as he struggled to park his motorcycle in front of the café they'd been assigned to meet at. He fumbled to push down the kickstand, muttering and cursing under his breath. Stupid darn Emmet. Talking over breakfast, he says. Just a friendly chat, he says. Ridiculous.

Emmet had been inviting the Cops to "keep his company" now. Shopping together, eating at restaurants, watching movies at the theater, even just... sitting around at a park, doing nothing. Or "hanging out", as Emmet always called it. Luckily they were usually joined by Lucy or Benny or the others, but it was still so... _grating_. Good Cop, unsurprisingly, enjoyed every moment of these outings.

At this point, BC's already-thin patience had been worn down to the bone. The few times he attempted to interact with Emmet always devolved into a tirade of yelling and arguing with him, usually set off by something small and unremarkable, and always resulted in the two of them walking off from each other in a huff. At least witnessing Emmet getting legitimately upset was somewhat amusing. It was a wonder he kept inviting them afterwards - and why he never held anything against BC for his outbursts. Just like Emmet - kid was too nice for his own good.

He'd tried every excuse he could think of to get out of going to these meetings but was almost always thwarted either by Emmet's insistence, GC's "sense of duty", or Business's reassurance that it was still part of their promise and it'd be a shame to leave the kid hanging like that. Bah. BC almost wished he'd never taken on that stupid promise in the first place, but it was too late to back out now. He'd already accepted that he'd just have to bear with it for now - but he didn't have to enjoy it.

He walked towards the front of the café, flicking up his lenses to let Good Cop take over, as usual. He scanned the crowds of people hanging around the tables out front until he spotted a familiar mop of brown hair sitting at one of them. GC made a beeline for him, giddy as ever, ignorant of a sudden wave of panic from BC.

( **Wh-whoa whoa wait! Wait a second! Look who he's _sitting_ with, man!** )

It took a few moments for GC to process the thought and stop in his tracks, but by that point he was already in right in front of Emmet  and... President Business?

"Oh! Weeeell well well, look who's here! Hey there buddy!" Business exclaimed, standing from his seat, stiffly reaching out a hand towards him.

"S-sir! What.. what a pleasant surprise..." GC shook it awkwardly, unsure what to make of their boss being out in public like this - it wasn't usually like him.

Business chuckled at his reaction. "Relaaax! I'm not here to yell at you or anything, haha. Just hanging out, talkin' outside a café. Y'know, like regular people!"

Suddenly Business glanced around, first toward Emmet, then toward the people close by. He leaned in towards GC, lowering his voice to a nervous whisper. "This is uh, what regular people do, right? Talk in front of cafés?"

GC was taken aback again. He blinked before answering, "Er... yes, of course, sir."

"Okay cool. Nice."

Business stepped back, returning to his seat next to Emmet and raising his voice. "So yeah! Just felt like getting out of the office for a bit. Get some fresh air. Bumped into this fine young fellow here -" he tapped Emmet's shoulder heartily - "and decided to have a little chat with him! Great guy. Of course, I'm sure you guys know that already, haha."

GC opened his mouth to respond, but now Emmet had started talking.

"Oh yeah, we hang out a lot now. Both of them helped me out with packing and carrying stuff when Lucy moved in a couple days ago. They're really great friends."

Both Cops flared with mixed feelings - Good Cop with sadness from the memory of the moving day, BC with anger from Emmet calling them "great friends".

"Did he now!" Business exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Great! Glad to hear it. And how are you and the young lady doing now?"

Emmet chuckled nervously. "Ah, it's taking some used to. But it's nice having her around more often, y'know?" Business nodded. "Mhmm. I getcha. Least you aren't at each other's throats yet, huh?." Business burst into raucous laughter. Emmet snickered in response. "N-no, not yet, haha."

( **This is ridiculous. Can you _please_ tell Emmet we're supposed to be having breakfast now?** ) BC bristled with impatience in their mind. Between the constant interruptions and the insistence on bringing up Emmet's relationship status, BC was more than done with this whole situation and just wanted to eat something and move on with his day.

But now Emmet and Business were so engrossed in laughter and conversation that GC wasn't sure when or how to jump in. He could only stand there foolishly, mouth opening and closing, hardly able to get in an "er..." or "excuse me..."

Another session of grating laughter and BC'd finally had enough. Before GC could even begin to protest, he muscled over control, slamming down his aviator lenses and barking out a piercing yell.

" **EMMET!** "

The men flinched, heads whipping in BC's direction, eyes wide with shock. Several other people within earshot were staring as well. The weight of their eyes on him made his ears burn. He cleared his throat loudly, composing himself, not wanting to draw more attention.

"Uh... yeah, B?" Emmet said, stammering a bit.

" **Aren't you... _forgetting_ something?** " He spoke slowly and carefully, trying very, _very_ hard not to yell.

Emmet stared dumbly at him, mouth agape. "Uh..."

" **I _believe_... we were scheduled to be having breakfast right now?** "

He finally got it. " _Ohhhhh yeah!_ " He clapped the heel of his hand to his forehead. "Shoot! Uh, sorry Bad Cop, I kinda totally forgot about that. We could all eat together instead, if you want?"

BC was practically grinding his teeth at this point. _Just_ like Emmet to completely forget an appointment like that. He dearly wanted to rip into him for it, but he couldn't afford to go off on him here, near so many people - and in front of his own boss, no less. Business had long gone quiet, fingers rapping the table nervously, eyes darting between the two other men. The last thing BC wanted was to make him even more uncomfortable.

He let out a long, hissing breath through his nose and pressed his arms to his sides, swallowing his anger as best he could.

" **No, that's alright, Emmet** ," he said tightly. " **I'll eat by myself. See you later.** " He turned to his boss, bowing stiffly. " **Have a pleasant day, sir.** " He walked briskly into the café, alone, trying not to stomp his feet too much as he went.

He stormed up to the counter, slapping several dollar bills onto it. "The usual." He muttered. Larry, the barista on shift that morning, smirked at him over the drink pressed to his lips. He eyed the angry cop up and down, hunched over with both elbows on the counter, bristling like a puffer fish. "Kid getting on your nerves again, huh?" Apparently his yelling had carried all the way inside the café.

"Just get me my darn order, Larry," BC growled, raising his voice to near-threatening levels. Larry responded by setting his drink down and shrugging. "Alright, alright." Soon enough, his drink and food were ready and set down before him - a simple latte and a pair of donuts with coconut-flavored icing. He scooped up his meal and stormed off with a grunt, ignoring the sarcastic " _You're welcome_ " thrown at his back. He found an empty table in a decent enough spot, away from most of the other customers. He wasn't in the mood for company, especially not today.

He angrily whipped out a seat and plopped himself down, and without thinking, gulped down a swig of the still-hot coffee, scalding everything on the way down. He coughed and sputtered, swearing under his breath. Darn it all. Darn the coffee, darn this café, darn this whole morning. But most of all, darn that idiotic, careless, forgetful, good for nothing, _stupid darny darn Emmet._ From where he was sitting he could look over the empty table next to him through the main window and see him still sitting at that table, still casually chatting with President Business like nothing had happened.

Nursing his coffee and his sore throat, BC was practically staring daggers at him. He was just talking and laughing and having a grand old time without a care in the world for BC at all. It made his stomach churn. He looked down at his now unappetizing pair of donuts. He sighed and decided to save them for later, wrapping them in a few napkins and stuffing them into his jacket pocket.

He looked back to the window. Now a group of young people walking along the sidewalk had recognized Emmet and were also talking to him. And it was obvious they were fans from how they waved their arms at him excitedly and how Emmet was blushing slightly and scratching at the back of his neck like he always did when he was embarrassed. Just like Emmet, soaking up all the attention like the big hero he was and still being so modest and humble. _Ugh_. He was so... _so_...

(Oooh, I think I see what's going on now...) GC chimed in suddenly. ( **Wh- what?** )

GC chuckled. (Never seen you get so mad at Emmet for not paying attention to you. Looks like _somebody's_ jealous.)

( **Me? Jealous?** ) (Yes, you, B.)

BC turned back to his coffee, frowning at it. ( **Don't be ridiculous.** **I'm not jealous. Why would I be?** )

(Oh please, B. We live in the same body. You know you can't keep secrets from me.)

( **I'm not keeping secrets.** ) (I know you aren't. I mean, it's pretty obvious...)

( **What is?** ) (Well... wait, you mean you still don't know?) GC sounded genuinely surprised.

( **You know I have no patience for these kinds of games.** ) (Err...)

 **(What are you getting at?** **Spit it out, man!** ) (Well, it kinda seems like...)

( **Like** **WHAT?** )

(You love him too.)

He flinched so hard he nearly choked on the sip of coffee he was drinking.

( **NO. NONOnoNOnOnoNONoNOnONO. No. No I don't.** ) His thoughts scattered and fragmented for a few moments before he composed himself, wiping the drops of coffee he'd sputtered out from his mouth. Hopefully no one noticed.

GC couldn't even respond clearly at first. If he was in control, they'd be doubled over in laughter. (Oh good grief B, hahaha! You're...You're just too much!) His laughter continued, echoing inside their skull.

( **Oh, shut up.** ) He stared down at his coffee, feeling his face grow hot. That was stupid. SO stupid. He wasn't some love-starved twit looking for candlelight dinners or long walks on the beach! Especially not with _Emmet,_ of all people. Ugh. That was ridiculous. No way. He hated him, as he'd said many, many times.

He rubbed at his eyes and tried to calm himself. He felt warm, and his pulse had picked up for some reason.

(Uh, you okay?) ( **I'm fine. Just... don't bring this up again.** )

(Suit yourself.) GC's inner voice dripped with knowing sarcasm. He felt his skin crawl. He wasn't going to let him off easy after that outburst.

He could only hope things wouldn't get worse...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad Cop gets an emotional beatdown. Love sucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have titled this chapter "Melodramatic Bullshit". Sorry in advance.

Things were getting worse.

If Bad Cop didn't keep his focus completely on his work or the task at hand, his mind drifted. He'd start thinking about _him_. Thinking about his face. His smile. How the corners of his eyes wrinkled up when he did it. How he... No. Darn. DARN IT. Focus. What was he doing? Oh yeah, patrol duty.

He scanned the area around him. He was in his cruiser, parked on a mostly empty street. It was dark and drizzling. He was bored, cold, and a little hungry. Bad combination. He still had about an hour of work left, but the overcast sky made it feel like he should have gone home a long time ago. Home on the sofa, curled up with a blanket and a warm drink, right next to- NO. ALONE. Curled up at home, alone. As he always liked it.

 (Uh, B? You shouldn't-) ( **Shut up.** )

(Please, B, it's okay. You don't have to-) ( **SHUT UP. This is all _your_ fault.** )

(What? No it's not!) ( **If you hadn't said anything this wouldn't have happened so SHUT UP**.)

He was seething with anger. Anger towards GC, anger towards the weather, anger towards his job - he was angry with everything, really. Everything except _him_ though, since he'd recently discovered he couldn't really be angry at _him_ for very long.

In reality, he was mostly angry at himself. He couldn't believe he'd let this happen. Ever since GC's "wonderful" observation about the true nature of his feelings towards _him_ over a week ago, BC couldn't stop thinking about it, and now between their daily meetings with him and down times like these, it was a daily struggle to keep himself from admitting that he lo- NO. No. No I don't. Stupid. Ridiculous. He grit his teeth, trying desperately not to think about it.

(B, please stop.) ( **I'm not talking to you.** )

(Please, B, you can't-) ( **SHUT UP. If you didn't keep fawning over him every moment of every day this wouldn't be happening! Now all of your stupid mushy stuff's rubbed off on me!** )

(You can't blame _me_ for _your_ feelings, B.) ( **Yes I can! This is _your_ fault and that's final!** )

 (Wh... but... ugh. Okay, you know what? Fine. We'll do it your way. I can point fingers too.) The amount of displeasure in his voice caught BC off guard.

(If we're going to blame this on someone, we'll blame it on you. _You_ started this.) BC nearly reeled back in his seat. ( **What?! I-I didn't-** )

(Yes, you did, B. Remember? Back when the Piece of Resistance was found and you first saw him? ( **N-No...** )

(Well I do. They pulled him out of that hole, completely unconscious, and the first thing you thought when you saw him was that he was kinda cute and it was a shame you'd have to interrogate him because he seemed nice enough.) ( **No I didn't!** )

(And then you buried it and denied ever having that thought when I asked you about it, just like you're doing now.) ( **Oh...** )

(And how about later? When Vitruvius told him the prophecy was fake just before he died?) ( **But you weren't ther-** )

(Yes I was. I never left, remember? He looked so heartbroken about not being the Special, and you were so shocked that you'd put him through so much for nothing. You put a hand on his shoulder, didn't you?) ( **Uh...** ) BC squirmed in his seat, feeling very uncomfortable.

(And one more thing. When he saved everyone from that bomb by throwing himself into the Abyss. Wasn't that what motivated you to help the master builders? And... help me come back?) GC's tone finally softened. ( **...** )

(And then when he came back... and saved the whole world... how happy that made you?)

BC couldn't respond clearly. He had his face in hands, trembling and on the verge of tears. He didn't want this. He never wanted any of this. It was too much...

Suddenly there was a strange warm feeling in his chest, as if someone were hugging him from the inside. (It's okay buddy. I'm here. I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you but... I mean, you have to own up to your feelings, B. You can't just keep denying it or blaming it on other people, you're only hurting yourself.)

Tears formed in his eyes.

(But listen, it's ok. It's just love. It's hard for anyone, trust me.) ( **But... I can't...** )

(Yes, you can.) ( **No I can't I CANT do this man, I just _can't_...** )

He started sobbing. ( **I can barely _speak_ to him, much less romance with him! I just can't do it. _It scares me_. It scares me so I kick and yell and push him away. Just like I did with all our dates back then. I-I just... I'm so sorry G. I'm so, so sorry...** )

He'd taken off his glasses and was sobbing uncontrollably, doubled over in his seat. In response, the warmth in his chest expanded, GC filling every part of him with his comfort.

(Shhh shhh hey now, it's ok buddy, please don't blame yourself. It's in the past now. It's ok. Like I said, it's hard for everyone.) ( **N-no its not...** )

(You're doing fine, B. Just think about right now. Just doing this, telling me how you feel. That's very brave. I'm proud of you.) BC's sobbing continued. He felt ridiculous, bawling like a baby in his car like this...

He took a few breaths, trying to calm himself, but the tears wouldn't stop. The emotions flooded him so quickly and deeply he felt like he was drowning. Again.

(It's okay, B. Just let it all out.)

He took another breath, composing his thoughts.

( **I hate this...** ) (I know.)

( **I wish it would stop...** ) (I know.)

( **I want him so bad and I hate myself for it. I feel like an idiot.** ) (No you're not, B. You're a human being. You're in love. It's okay.)

The tears began to subside as they continued back and forth, BC spilling his feelings like blood from a fresh wound as GC wrapped him up in comfort and reassurance. He'd buried them so deeply for so long, he never realized how bad it was. How badly he wanted him. To hear him, stay with him, keep him near. Reach out and touch his hands, his face, his hair, wrap his arms around him, hold him close and breathe in the scent of his skin, taking it into his lungs, his blood, his bones. Kiss him and drink in every part of him. It was so bad...

Suddenly he had a different sort of thought.

( **... Is this... how it feels for you? When it happens?** ) (...Something like this, yeah.) ( **Oh...** )

(It's... a little less of the physical stuff... I just want him to be happy, really.) ( **Yeah...** )

They talked a bit more as BC finally started to calm down. He sat back in his seat, feeling exhausted but ...relieved. He looked at the clock. To his surprise, he now had about twenty minutes until his shift was over.

( **...We should start heading back.** ) (Alright. D'you feel any better?)

( **...Yeah, actually. I guess I needed that.** ) (That's good. I'm sorry I had to push you that far...)

( **It's fine. I had it coming. We'll talk more back at home.** ) (Okay.)

He wiped off the moisture from his face and placed his glasses back on, then turned on the engines. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a good cry like that. It felt good somehow, like a big weight was lifted from him - a weight so huge and overwhelming that it terrified him into denying its very existence. At the very least, he could admit it to himself now...

He was in love with Emmet Brickowski.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't going too well, Emmet-wise. Bad Cop is sad. He thinks things over while watching late-night movie marathons.

"Martha."

Martha perked up at the sound of her name, gracefully turning away from the light show to look at the man who'd called it - it was Henry, handsome as ever, chest out, hands behind his back.

He lit up at the eye contact. "You look lovely tonight," he said. She smiled, ruby lips curling. "Thank you, Henry." Her voice was like dark velvet.

There was a beat of silence. Darius was long dead, his precious schemes foiled, but there was still a heavy air of tension between the two. Unfinished business, words unspoken.

Henry joined her side on the balcony, watching the fireworks, the two speaking lightly here and there. Then suddenly, he turned to her, gently grasping her small hand.

"Martha, remember when I said I'd told you everything I knew?" She tensed, then relaxed at his touch, fluttering her dark eyelashes toward the ground. "...Yes."

"Well, I'm afraid I lied to you, dear. There's still something else."

She gazed up at him, eyes glittering with the reflections of the fireworks. Henry smiled, beaming, lifting her hands into his own.

"I must tell you, Martha, I... I love you. I've loved you since the day I set eyes on you. You're the most beautiful, daring, intelligent woman I've ever met." Martha swelled with emotion, moisture dancing on the corners of her eyes.

"Oh Henry, I... I feel the same way..." She melted into him, letting him gather her up into a deep, passionate kiss as the fireworks show cascaded into its grand finale, lighting them from behind with bright, brilliant flashes of color.

 

Bad Cop sighed loudly from his seat. How predictable. This was probably the cheesiest film he'd ever seen but not once through the entire thing had he really wanted to turn it off and go to bed like he should. It couldn't be any worse than his current misery, anyway.

It was very dark, the only light in the entire apartment coming from his television, casting him in a dull blue color as he watched the credits roll. He was slumped deeply into his couch, an arm halfway reaching into a large box of chocolate donuts on the stand next to him, hesitating because he was already full and starting to feel sick from eating so much already. He shrugged it off and grabbed another one anyway. He didn't normally crave sweets like this unless he was under heavy stress, and his current situation was about as stressful as they came.

It was about Emmet, of course. He'd never met anyone who made him feel so wonderful and so miserable at the same time. He could name a hundred reasons why Emmet was the absolute worst person alive to fall in love with, but at the same time he could name a hundred-thousand other reasons why he wasn't. Every other dorky laugh or clumsy trip-up set him off like a wrecking ball, swinging wildy between bristling annoyance and wistful sighing. Their daily routines together were nearly torturous at times.

He felt like a strip of rubber slowly being pulled apart in two different directions. Half of him deeply longed to be with Emmet and tell him how he felt towards him, while the other half was still so ashamed of himself and terrified of the potential consequences that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.

Good Cop, with all his cheerful support, wasn't much help. He felt the same way towards Emmet but was terribly shy about it, and simply couldn't get up the nerve to tell him. Between them, any attempts to confess to Emmet were either thwarted by self-sabotage or nipped in the bud.

A love letter was out of the question. Writing wasn't a strong point for either of them, and no written word could adequately explain how his hair caught the afternoon sunlight or how his smile could light up a dark room. There was also the matter of actually delivering it, which was nigh unimaginable.

Phone calls were always unsuccessful. He'd finally feel that he was ready enough (or foolish enough) and would call Emmet's number, but once the he heard that first ring the contents of his chest and stomach dropped down into his heels and he found himself praying to The Man Upstairs please oh please don't let him answer just keep ringing over and over and let me fade into this monotonous oblivion... Then that sweet voice would break through, crackling with static, with a cheery "Hello, Emmet speaking!" and his mind blanked completely. Why did he call? What was there to say?

He'd stammer a bit before finally croaking out a " **Hey, it's me** ," and the call would devolve into the most painfully awkward conversation imaginable.

"Oh, hi Bad Cop! What's up?" " **...Not much.** "

"Oh... was there... something you wanted?" " **...Not really.** "

"Oh...uh... just saying hi?" " **...Yeah.** "

"Well... hi then! Nice to uh, hear from you." " **Yeah...** "

"...Yeah... uh, talk to you later, then?" " **...Sure, see you later.** "

Then he'd hang up and curl into a ball on the couch, groaning with a pain that was almost physical. Good Cop's attempts didn't fare much better, ending up talking about the weather or what was on TV last night.

Gifts of candy and flowers felt beneath him, but at that point they were running out of options. The result was worthy of a comedy film. They'd found a reputable website and ordered a cliché but appropriate enough bouquet of red roses, along with a small box of chocolate candies, and had them delivered the next morning to Emmet's apartment with a card saying "From a secret admirer," and nothing else. Then after a long night of worried sleep, he met up with Emmet at their usual place for breakfast and heard the following:

"Hey GC! you wouldn't believe what happened this morning! This delivery guy brought flowers and candy for Lucy! He said they were from a secret admirer but I'm pretty sure they were from me. She's not really a flowers-and-candy kinda girl but I wanted to surprise her so I ordered some without telling her. But that was like, _a month ago_. Talk about slow service, huh? It's fine, though, she seemed to like them okay. Well, she liked the thought behind it at least. Y'know."

Good Cop could only listen in silence, resisting the need to lay face-down on the ground and stay there forever.

Lucy... BC honestly couldn't begrudge her. Their conversations together revealed her as the sunny, spirited person that she was and how much happiness she brought to Emmet's life, but her relationship with him still presented a problem to their situation. At least, it contributed another frightening unknown to the equation - what _would_ her reaction be, if he confessed to Emmet? Would she be angry? He wasn't sure, but the idea of sharing her boyfriend not only with another man, but the chief of police who once chased them through hell and high water with violent abandon, seemed like a good enough reason for her to reject the whole thing.

BC sighed again, slumping even deeper into the couch. The donuts were finished, and another late night movie had started, but he'd been too lost in thought to pay much attention to it. His stomach hurt and he was tired beyond words, but still he couldn't bring himself to get up and go to bed. he shifted position so his head rested on the armrest and his feet hung half way off the seat at the other end. Maybe he could keep watching like this until he passed out from exhaustion.

They'd given up on nearly all methods of confessing at this point. The only, most surefire way he could make his feelings known and get a clear answer for them would be to simply tell him, face to face. But that meant facing the real question - what would _Emmet's_ reaction be...? Would he... no, he didn't even want to think about it. There was too much stacked against him. Emmet saw him as a good friend, and was in a close romantic relationship with a woman. The chances of rejection were high.

He forced his drooping eyes open and tried to pay attention to the TV again, but between his sleepy state of mind and his worried thoughts, he could barely keep his focus.

It was pointless. Something had to be done, something had to give at some point. He had to tell him _something_... even if it meant rejection.

But he wasn't sure if the pain of rejection would be worse than the pain of always yearning for him, always being so close and yet so far, always just out of reach... no, that was worse. Much worse. Better he let his heart break and heal from it than let it fester and rot from never knowing.

He'd closed his eyes, slowly drifting into a half-dreaming state, the sound from the TV mixing with his increasingly nonsensical thoughts.

He had to tell him. Had to. Maybe... Maybe tomorrow. Yeah... Tomorrow... Tomorrow he'd tell Emmet he loved him. Just like that movie guy did... Cheesy as it was.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cops are close to giving up, but suddenly, something changes...

"Tommorrow" never came. At least, not the tomorrow where Bad Cop confessed to Emmet about his feelings for him.

Every morning he'd wake up telling himself today was the day, that he'd tell him for sure, but he never did. Either an opportunity presented itself and was promptly wasted by his own incompetence, or most of the day was spent hanging with additional friends who rarely left an opportunity open. At this rate, the Cops would waste away into nothing before anything serious would happen between them and Emmet.

It was just the two of them today, but BC didn't have high hopes. He stewed quietly in a corner of their mind as Good Cop waited patiently for Emmet to come out of the nearby hair salon. He was fairly miserable. They'd been accompanying Emmet in casual settings for months and as far as he knew, Emmet was still completely and blissfully unaware of either of their feelings for him.

Wasn't it obvious enough, with all their collective stuttering and blushing and awkward moments? No, of course not. He just went on being his sweet, idiotic, adorable, infuriating little self. He wasn't sure if he wanted to wrap his arms around him in a loving embrace or a good throttling, yelling "Emmet you beautiful idiot can't you see I'm falling in love with you? _Do something_!" No, he couldn't say it like that. Who even did that? That was stupid. Stupid, stupid...

"Hey!" Emmet had finally come out, done with his haircut. GC greeted him warmly, but didn't rise from his seat.

"So ah, do I look okay?" Emmet asked, turning his head back and forth to show off his hair. It looked about the same as always, just trimmed down a little.

"Great! You look really good." GC smiled. On the inside, BC groaned. Of course he was. Emmet always looked " _okay_ ". He didn't even need a haircut...

"Aww, thanks!" Emmet said, rubbing the back of his neck. He smiled at him for a few moments like he always did, but it faded suddenly as something seemed to cross his mind.

"Say, G... Can I uh, ask you something?"

"Well sure, what's wrong Emmet?" said GC. Emmet sat himself next to him, looking unusually concerned.

"Well, do you know... is Bad Cop doing okay?" "What?"

"I mean, I haven't really seen him that much these days. Is he alright?"

GC looked inward, but didn't get any response from BC besides confusion. He was asking for _him_...?

"Oh, he's fine, Emmet. You know how he is. Not much of a, er, social kinda guy!"

( **Yes I am!** ) (No, you're not really.)

( **Says you! I'm a great communicator!** ) (Um, hurling chairs and insults everywhere isn't a very good way of communication, B.)

He only responded in grumbles as GC turned his attention back to Emmet, noticing his brows wrinkling with worry. "Hmm. It's just... well, I just - I worry about him sometimes. And you too, G.

"Oh... really?" GC's eyes widened, taken aback.

Emmet noticed this and suddenly looked flustered.

"I-I mean as friends, you know! Like, if you guys got sick or something, I'd just uh, like to know... that kinda... stuff..."

He trailed off, turning his face away. Was he... blushing? He couldn't tell from their angle, and was almost tempted to tell GC to move in closer.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments before GC thought of a way out. "Hey uh... you want me to walk you home?" Emmet whipped around, looking almost relieved.

"Oh! Yeah yeah sure, let's go!" They got to their feet and made their way down the sidewalk towards Emmet's apartment building.

\----

Emmet and Good Cop made small talk here and there as they walked along the street, but inside, Bad Cop couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. He hadn't seen Emmet act so nervous around them before... or did he? Actually, now that he thought about it, he did seem to scratch at his face and neck more often recently... the facial twitches and breaking of eye contact were all too familiar... and there were more pauses and stutters when he spoke to them... but that couldn't really mean anything, could it? He wasn't falling for _him_ now, was he - no, that was ridiculous. No way. He wouldn't... would he?

He'd never really considered Emmet, or anyone else for that matter, to actually... well, like them back. Frankly he wouldn't know how to react to it... and yet next to everything else that happened, here they were, smiling and walking down the sidewalk together, so content in each other's company. If he hadn't refused him a dozen times before, GC would be asking to try holding Emmet's hand right about now.

But wait, he still had Lucy, didn't he? This was all very strange...

After thinking it over, he quietly brought it up to GC, who was honestly just as bewildered as he was about the whole thing. After a short internal exchange, they agreed to ask him.

"Hey uh, Emmet?" "Yeah?"

"How are you and Lucy doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

Emmet's smile faded. He glanced away, visibly searching for the right words. His pace slowed. "Mmm...." That didn't sound good.

"...Not very well?" GC frowned with concern.

"Well, it's not really _bad_ , exactly, it's just not that _good_ either...um..." He stared at his toes for a few moments before he finally stopped walking and gave a heavy sigh.

"Well, long story short, we're... not living together anymore."

"Oh. I'm so sorry." GC's face drooped.

"No no it's okay, we didn't like, _fight_ or anything. It was just... hard, y'know?" He shrugged. "I guess we just weren't... ready for that yet." He looked so disappointed. BC desperately wanted to hug him.

They continued walking. "Well... do you still hang out together?" asked GC.

"Oh yeah, sure, just uh, not as often now. She hangs out with her other friends more. I'm okay with it though. I think we just uh, need some distance for a while. See some other people for a change. Speaking of which, she's seeing Batman again, actually." "Really?"

"Yeah, she says it's nice. She felt kinda bad, breaking it off with him so suddenly. So now they're kinda reconnecting, I guess. I'm happy for them."

He didn't seem very happy, BC thought. He almost wanted to ask him why.

"You don't look that happy." said GC.

( **I DIDN'T SAY YOU COULD _TELL_ HIM THAT, YOU IDIOT!** ) (Don't yell at me! I wanted to know too!)

"Oh... I guess I don't, huh?" Emmet sighed, visibly troubled.

( **Good job. Now he's even MORE sad.** ) (Shh, let him finish!)

"...I guess, well... I dunno, I've been thinking about a lot of stuff recently. Future stuff. Like, what am I gonna do with the rest of my life kinda stuff, y'know?" "Yeah?"

"Like... do I really wanna get married soon and have kids and everything? Cause it's weird, I really like Lucy and all, but she's not really a 'get married and have kids' kind of person. She's a free spirit, y'know? Doesn't like being tied down."

"Uh-huh." Both Cops knew her well enough to confirm this.  
"And now... I'm not sure what _I_ really want. It's like... I dunno. It's just... a lot of... _things_ have been happening for me lately."

He cleared his throat a bit. "Like uh... weird things." He waved his hand around, looking for the right words. He glanced towards them for a moment. "Um..." He held his chin, deep in thought.

Oh... oh no. Oh please. Please don't be what I think it is, BC prayed. Please. He couldn't bear it. Not now. Or... maybe he could. Maybe he did want it. He couldn't decide, really.

An eternity of silence seemed to pass before finally, Emmet waved it off. "Nah, nevermind. I can't really explain it. It's kinda stupid anyway."

GC let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

They walked a little more in tense silence until Emmet suddenly stopped in his tracks and scanned their surroundings. "Uh, did we pass my apartment building?"

"What?" GC looked around. They'd been so engrossed in conversation he hadn't paid much attention to where they were going.

"Oh no wait, we're okay. See? There's Miss Scratchen-post's house right there." He pointed towards the front porch of the old cat woman's home a dozen feet or so in front of them.

"We're almost there. Come on, I'll race ya!" Emmet broke into a brisk jog down the sidewalk.

"Wh- hey, wait up!" GC stuttered for a moment before chasing after him, struggling to catch up.

Inside, both cops were still reeling from what had just occurred. Something was happening here, and it was strange, exciting, and terrifying all at once.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth finally comes out. Shipping galore.

It was a very special day.

A whole year since the day the city of Bricksburg, the entire world even, had faced a danger so great and terrifying it threatened to freeze every living thing in its tracks - literally. Only by banding together and embracing everyone's creativity and individuality was it defeated, inspired by the actions of a simple, ordinary, incredibly brave construction worker.

The new city officials had declared this day a national holiday and arranged a special fireworks show in the city park, next to the small man-made lake. Emmet had been invited as a guest of honor to help launch the fireworks, but he'd politely declined the offer, wanting to enjoy the show from afar with his friends, like everyone else. Just like Emmet.

Business was mysteriously absent since that morning, but Good Cop/Bad Cop assumed he'd just given himself the day off like everyone else (amongst other reasons). The Cops spent most of the day hanging out with Emmet and his friends, enjoying the daytime festivities and delicious snacks throughout the various nearby realms. By the time they'd arrived back in Bricksburg evening was fast approaching, and they all agreed to meet at the grassy hill on the other side of the lake to watch the fireworks that night.

That was where GC stood now, watching the last bits of orange sunlight dip under the city skyline as he waited for Emmet to arrive. He was horribly nervous. Technically, today was also the one year anniversary since he and Emmet had first met, or close to the day, at least. If there were ever a more perfect opportunity for Bad Cop and Good Cop to confess their feelings for him, it was tonight.

He was worried over whether he'd have to take Emmet aside to tell him, but no one else had arrived yet. He was alone. That was the worst part - being alone with his thoughts about Emmet, wondering how to put to words how he made him feel, how much he appreciated their time together, what he meant to him... He felt nauseous. He was close to turning around to head back to their cruiser and go home when the sound of a car engine nearly made him jump out of his skin.

He whipped around to see Emmet's tiny car pulling into the small parking lot behind him. He didn't come out right away - he stayed in there for a good few seconds more than he needed to. It did nothing for GC's nerves. He could vaguely make out Emmet's form fumbling around inside the vehicle. What was he _doing_?

Finally he came out, cueing a series of awkward waving and hellos.

"Sorry G, I uh, didn't notice you were here already for a sec there, heh," Emmet said as he walked up to him, laughing nervously. GC noted that he was nearly next to the sidewalk and fairly obvious to anyone parking here, but he thought better than to comment on it.

"Where's Lucy and the others?" asked GC.

"Oh, Lucy? She's with Batman and the others right now. They said they're gonna watch it from closer up. It's just us here."

"Oh... ok." GC mused over the implications as the two made their way down the hill leading to the edge of the lake.

( **Perfect. We can tell him now.** ) Bad Cop's inner voice bristled with impatience in GC's head. (H-hey now, we should at least wait for the show to start...)

( **Don't tell me you're chickening out again!** ) (W-well I- well yes, but we still have to wait for the right moment!) ( **Hmph... fine.** )

They made small talk here and there as they poked around for a good spot where there wasn't too much mud or wet grass. Once they did, Emmet set down two large beach towels he'd brought for them to sit on. He always was pretty good at being prepared.

Things grew quiet as they settled in. Emmet broke the silence. "I'm glad you came," he said quietly. GC smiled at him. "'Course, buddy."

He watched Emmet in the rapidly fading twilight. He had his knees drawn up to his chest, staring straight ahead, looking oddly pensive. GC was tempted to ask him if he was alright but a sudden booming sound snapped him out of his train of thought.

They looked across the lake, where a bright bead of color rose into the sky and exploded into a fiery display, casting the city around them in brilliant light. Distant sounds of cheering carried over to them, signaling the beginning of the show.

They sat and watched in silence. They were lovely fireworks, but the Cops were more concerned with how they lit up the edges of Emmet's face and hair and reflected on the surface of his eyes. He looked content enough, but he still had an air of... sadness? GC felt the need to ask him what was wrong again, but then Emmet suddenly began to speak.

"Lucy and I have been talking a lot lately."

GC blinked, caught off guard. "Oh?"

"Yeah, we're uh... we're gonna keep things open from now on. She's dating Batman again."

"Oh..."

"I'm not jealous or anything though. Not anymore. He's a nice guy once you get to know him. He just has that... ego thing going on."

He turned to look at GC, smiling. "He makes her happy. And if she's happy, I'm happy, y'know?"

GC nodded in understanding. Emmet looked down at a blade of grass he was picking at.

"And... I know she feels the same way for me. She wants me to be happy too. So, we're just gonna take things slow, keep talking about anything that's bothering us. Keep that trust up, y'know?"

"That's great. I'm happy for you two. Three, rather." said GC. Emmet chuckled at the correction.

"Heh. Gonna be kinda weird. But we'll be okay, I'm sure. We've been through a lot worse."

GC looked down at the grass he was picking at, and noticed how close his hand was to his own. Only a few inches. If he dared, he could try touching it...

A boom from a particularly loud firework turned both their attention back to the night sky. They watched quietly for a few moments. The tension was heavy.

( **Tell him now. He's open. He'll be fine with it. This couldn't be any more perfect.** ) BC growled in his mind, pacing around liked a caged tiger. GC winced, feeling his heart thumping in his ears. (B-but- but what if he's hurting? This is still new for him! What if we...)

( **If you can't tell him then I'm taking over!** ) (No, I-I can do it! Just give me a minute...) ( **Rrrgh...** ) (Besides, you're too blunt! You have to be delicate about these things...) ( **Yeah? What if the direct approach is the best one?** ) (Not here! This is Emmet we're talking about! He's...)

"Uh, G?"

" _Eek!_ "

An unexpected hand on his shoulder made him flinch so hard he made a small squeaking sound. He whipped around to see that it was Emmet's, who was leaning closer to him, looking concerned. "Oh, sorry G, I didn't mean to scare ya..." Emmet backed off, withdrawing his hand instantly.

"N-no it's fine! I'm fine. What is it?" said GC, laughing nervously and scratching at his ear. His face felt warm.

Emmet gave a weak smile, sitting back and looking away from him. "Well... nah, nevermind. It's nothing..."

GC leaned in this time. "No really! I'm fine! You can tell me anything, Emmet." He did his best to give him a calm, friendly smile, despite the turmoil roiling inside him. Maybe he wouldn't have to confess after all... maybe Emmet would...

Emmet continued, staring at his hands in his lap. "Well, since we're getting kinda personal here, um...I've also been talking about that... _thing_... with Lucy..."

"The what?"

"Y'know... that "weird thing" I tried to tell you about that one time?" It was hard to tell in the darkness, but either there were a lot of red fireworks going on or Emmet's face was gradually turning redder.

"I... yes, I remember," said GC. He could scarcely breathe. Was he going to...?

Emmet took a breath to center himself, raising and lowering his shoulders. "Well, long story short, it turns out I'm bi. I like guys too."

GC relaxed. Oh, that was it...

"And I know that might sound dumb or something, but it's just kinda... embarrassing for me... I haven't really talked to anyone about it until now..."

"...Why not?" GC dared to ask.

Emmet shrugged, still staring at his lap. "I was just confused, I guess. When I was a kid I'd sometimes get funny feelings over other guys, and I didn't know why. And when I tried talking to anyone about it, they either brushed me off or made fun of me. They all said you either like guys or you like girls, not both. So I kinda stopped talking about it and just told everyone I like girls. To fit in, y'know."

GC nodded slowly, taking it all in. "Oh... yes, I understand, Emmet. I went through something like that as a lad myself."

 Emmet looked up at him suddenly, surprised. "Really?"

"Sure!" said GC cheerfully. "It takes a while, but soon you'll feel just fine about yourself and what you do and don't like. It's all about embracing what's special about you, right?"

He patted Emmet's shoulder supportively. Emmet chuckled at the reference. "Aw, gee... thanks G. I really appreciate it," he said, smiling warmly.

They caught each other's gaze and sat there, staring at each other for a few moments, the pops and booms of the fireworks fading away. Emmet's smile gave way to a different expression... a sort of... longing...? His mouth didn't move, but there was something in his eyes... like he wanted to say more... Without thinking, GC felt himself leaning closer towards Emmet... Emmet seemed to lean ever so closer towards him...

( **Oh please, just kiss him...** )

BC's sudden thought snapped GC back into reality. He sat back, looking away from Emmet towards the fireworks. Shame and embarrassment burned on his face and ears.

"Ah, anyway, thank you for telling me all that Emmet. I uh, I'm going to start heading home now."

"What?" ( **WHAT?!** )

A cascade of small explosions had started, signaling the show's finale. GC scrambled to his feet. "I-I'm sorry, I just uh, want to beat the traffic back home. S-see ya tomorrow."

He waved stiffly at Emmet and made his way back up the hill, trying not to think about the expression of hurt and disappointment he'd seen on the man's face.

Suddenly he felt his muscles stiffening on their own, forcing his pace down to a crawl. ( **WHAT THE BLOOMIN' HECK ARE YOU DOING?!** ) BC roared inside his ears. ( **You had him _right there!_ This couldn't be more perfect! He's _into_ us! By the Man Upstairs, why are you _LEAVING_?** )

(Look I.. I'm sorry, but I just can't. I can't do this. The man's barely figuring himself out, I-I don't want to complicate things, we'll just be a burden...)

He stopped halfway to his cruiser, clenching his trembling fists at his sides. Bad Cop was right. That was a golden opportunity back there, and he just ruined it. He felt an urge to cry welling up in his chest, a somewhat rare sensation for him. He was completely terrified... this wasn't like him. What was he so afraid of...?

BC took a moment to recoup, softening his inner voice and attempting to comfort him. ( **Ok, sorry for yelling... But hey, remember what you told me, back on that rainy night in the cruiser? You can't just run away from your feelings. At least give it your best shot, G.** ) GC stared at the ground. He couldn't form a clear response. ( **It's okay, man. You're fine. Just turn around, walk back to him, apologize, and tell him how you feel.** )

He didn't budge. (I...) ( **Listen, if you're that nervous, let me take over...** )

"H-hey, G?" Startled, he turned to see that Emmet had walked up to him from behind. He had a hand out as if to touch his shoulder, but was withdrawing it, probably afraid of spooking him again. He looked worried. "Are you okay?"

GC looked at Emmet, then toward the ground. "I-I'm alright." he lied.

( **He's right there. You've got this.** ) He looked at Emmet again, his form framed beautifully by the lights of the many fireworks going off behind him.

His throat clenched. He couldn't say it. He started to signal BC to take over, but Emmet suddenly straightened himself and spoke again.

"Ok then. Listen, um... there was, uh, something else I wanted to tell you..." He started fidgeting and wringing his hands. "Um..." He bit at his lower lip, his face now obviously turning redder in the light from the fireworks. GC would have called it adorable if he wasn't so intensely worried about what he was trying to say.

Finally, Emmet took a deep breath, stared GC squarely in the face, and blurted out all at once, " _I-I think you're really nice and cool and handsome and stuff and I wanted to tell you I really really **really** like you!"_

He slumped over, out of breath. "Phew, I... I hope that doesn't sound weird..."

GC was stunned, frozen. He could hardly breathe. He tried to say something, but to his horror, no sound came out of his mouth. Emmet was looking back at him expectantly. Finally, the man he loved returned his feelings, and he couldn't even...

His hand moved to his glasses, flipping down the aviator lenses. He reached out and took Emmet's hands into his own, holding them near his chest, and stared deeply into his wide, surprised eyes.

" **No, it doesn't, Emmet.** " said Bad Cop, his voice deep and brimming with affection.

" **I'm glad. I've always wanted to tell you... I really like you too.** " He smiled, his expression saying so much more.

Emmet's eyes widened even more, his blush deepening, before his face changed into the loveliest expression of joy and relief BC had ever seen.

"You... you really mean that?" he asked breathlessly. " **Yes. I do.** " said BC.

Emmet was smiling so much his eyes were nearly squeezed shut. He gave out a joyous cry as he slipped his hands out of BC's grasp and threw his arms around his neck, nearly tackling him. BC wasn't expecting it, and the combination of Emmet being a little heavier than he thought and his knees having apparently turned into jelly within the past few minutes sent both of them toppling onto the grass in a heap of pained grunts and laughter.

The faint sounds of a cheering crowd could be heard echoing across the nearby lake as the fireworks show finally drew to a close, ending with one last symphony of lights and color. Then it was dark, the two men giggling and cuddling together like children in the faint light of the moon and distant streetlights.

The feeling was indescribable. All BC knew was that he'd never felt so happy in his life and at that moment he didn't particularly care how ridiculous he looked. He was with Emmet, finally, and that was all that mattered right now. GC felt the same. They held each other, Emmet laying on top of BC's stomach, his arms still around his neck, head resting on his chest, BC's arms wrapped around his back, listening to each other breathing. They stayed like that for a good minute or so, basking in the moment, occasionally exchanging words and laughter.

"I'm so glad...I was so nervous, I wasn't sure how you'd react..." said Emmet quietly. "I think...I think I kinda-sorta had a little crush on you ever since we got back from the Duplo mothership. Maybe even before that... But I just... I dunno, I didn't know what to do about it, so I just kinda ignored it..."

" **Mmm.** "

"But then you kept hanging around and helping out... like that time in Cuckooland... and it just kept growing... I wanted to keep being with you... that's why I kept asking you to help me with chores and shopping and stuff..."

" **Mhmm.** "

"I was kinda scared, honestly... I had to talk to Lucy about it. I kept putting it off but I'm glad I finally did, she was really understanding. She helped me realize it was all okay... and convinced me to tell you how I felt..."

" **Hm. So, I was your little awakening, eh?** "

Emmet laughed softly into BC's neck, the feel of his breath sending chills up the back of his head. "Heh, yeah, I guess you could say that... or rather...my remembering, I guess. It reminded me of that 'weird thing' that I tried to forget for so long..."

BC said nothing for a few moments, taking it all in. " **S' weird, actually. I went through the same thing as you did.** "

Emmet looked up at his face suddenly, genuinely surprised. "Really?"

" **Yeah. Exact same thing, pretty much. Save for having a Good Cop instead of a Lucy.** "

"No way."

" **Yes way.** "

"Oh... wow. Maybe we're a good match after all." Emmet chuckled again. BC smiled, staring at the slivers of moonlight shining on Emmet's face and hair. He reached a hand up across Emmet's back to his head, running his fingers through his soft hair, then settled it on the side of his face. Emmet hunched his shoulders up like a cat at the touch, pressing his head into the hand, closing his eyes.

" **I love you, Emmet,** " BC whispered softly.

The eyes fluttered open, gazing at him lovingly. "I love you, too," Emmet whispered back. Holding Emmet's face, BC gently brought their lips closer together, kissing him.

It was awkward and tense and not the most graceful of kisses, since it was the first time either of them had done such a thing with each other, but the feeling was there, and soon enough they were melting into each other, and BC felt as if the fireworks were inside him now, lighting up every nerve and blood vessel in his body, filling him light and fire. It was pure bliss, multiplied tenfold because GC was there too, feeling the very same thing.

They kissed a few more times before stopping to rest and resort back to cuddling for a while longer, until BC finally noted how late it was getting. Slowly they got to their feet and made their way up the hill towards where they'd parked their cars, holding hands and grinning like kids on a first date. Behind them, the golden city lights sparkled against the skyline, reflecting in the dark, glassy surface of the lake like the stars in the night sky above them.

"So... does this mean we're going out? Like to dinner and a movie or something?" said Emmet, still rather bashful about the whole thing.

" **Dinner and a movie sounds fine,** " BC replied softly as they reached their vehicles.

"Maybe tomorrow?"

" **Tomorrow... that sounds good, yeah.** " Emmet started towards his car until a tug on his arm stopped him, and he realized he was still holding onto BC's hand. He looked at him sheepishly, resistant to let go.

"So, um... it's a date? Tomorrow evening, maybe around six or seven or something?"

" **Sure. I'll ah... I'll call you later. We can talk more then.** "

"Later. Okay. Sounds... sounds good. Um... Thanks, B." Emmet said, smiling shyly before finally relinquishing his grip and starting towards his car.

It took a bit of effort for BC not to watch Emmet's backside as he walked away, and to make himself turn and head back to his own cruiser. Once he'd settled in, he looked out the window to see Emmet starting up his car. He could see him visibly sit back in his chair and give a great sigh, before he turned toward the window and noticed BC watching him. He gave him a cute little smile and waved goodbye. BC returned the wave as Emmet's car started up, and within the next minute, he had driven off into the night.

(You were _brilliant_ back there, B. Just brilliant. I didn't know you had it in you.) said GC, finally able to form a coherent thought.

( **Me neither. I guess it's true what they say, love makes you do crazy things...** ) BC mused, starting up the cruiser.

(Yeah, like being nice for once, eh, _Bad Cop_?)

BC only groaned and rolled his eyes at nothing in particular. He still didn't really consider himself the romantic type, but after tonight it looked like that would be changing soon. Starting an open relationship with Emmet, of all people, would be strange for sure, but after everything else they'd been through, he felt confident that things would work out alright. They'd be okay. He was sure of it.

GC chimed in again as he began lifting off. (Hey uh, just one question, B...) ( **What is it?** )

(Can _I_ kiss him next time?)

( **Oh, shut up.** ) said BC, but not in his usual harsh tone, in a teasing way, full of mirth. He shook his head, laughing, before guiding his cruiser towards home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, I'm finally done with this. Big thanks to anyone who's been following this fic or read through the entire thing (yeesh!) I'm sorry this took so long to finish but as I've said, writing isn't my strongest point (I didn't even have a beta reader), but at the very least this was a good learning experience. I think it's safe to say I won't be doing something this long again, but I'm glad it's out of the way so I can work on much better (and much shorter) fics.  
> Thank you, again. (also, ConCop forever)


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